Burak Ünveren, a broadcast journalist visiting from Germany, is leaving East Texas with a fresh perspective on local journalism and daily life in the United States.

This week the news editor for Germany’s Deutsche Welle network visited Tyler through an exchange program for broadcasters through the RIAS Berlin Commission.

RIAS, an acronym for Radio in American Sector, was a U.S.-funded radio station that broadcast information and music across East and West Germany during the Cold War until Germany’s reunification.

More than 2,000 American and German journalists have participated in this Trans Atlantic exchange since 1993.

Ünveren and 10 other German fellows are splitting two weeks among Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, and a fourth city of their choosing. The cohort splits up to spend ‘station days’ embedded in host news organizations in Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Michigan, and Chicago.

“As a journalist, my job is to understand, contextualize, and explain. That’s why I chose to spend the ‘station days’ of my RIAS fellowship in Tyler, Texas – a part of the world I felt was worth understanding but knew little about.”

Here in the Rose Capital of America, Ünveren learned about the inner-workings of the largest news organization in East Texas through job shadowing and open discussions. Working alongside KLTV’s producers, anchors, reporters, photographers, digital content producers, and news managers allowed for robust dialogue about the differences and similarities in the broadcasting industry in each country. He also appeared on East Texas Now, the station’s streaming channel.

Outside the KLTV newsroom, Ünveren participated in appointments and activities that offered a taste of the culture and character of East Texas, including: a guided tour of Tyler State Park, a visit to the American Freedom Museum in Bullard; buying a pair of authentic cowboy boots; a firearms safety demonstration; and sampling authentic Mexican cuisine and Texas barbecue.

“During my stay, I gained a deeper understanding of life, politics, and journalism in Texas. I was welcomed with open arms — sometimes literally — by the people of Texas,” Ünveren said.

His time in Tyler also included candid conversations with members of the community, including meetings with Tyler Mayor Don Warren, Tyler City Manager Ed Broussard, Smith County Republican Party chairman David Stein, and with Antonia Fuerst, an exchange student from Germany who attends Tyler Legacy High School.

“I also had the honor of attending a session of the Commissioners Court of Smith County, where Judge Neal Franklin graciously introduced me to the people of Smith County. The effort he made to pronounce my name correctly spoke volumes about Texas.”

This was his first time visiting the United States, despite it feeling so familiar.

“At the end of the day, like many other people in Europe, I grew up watching American cartoons, playing with American toys. My dad used to watch the so-called “cowboy movies” every Sunday morning. I have seen so much of America thanks to Hollywood, but I haven’t really ‘seen’ it. In addition to that, being a political journalist in an international environment comes with a certain level of knowledge about American politics. But being there and breathing in the American weather is something else. That’s why I am extraordinarily thankful for this fellowship program.”

KLTV has hosted nine other German journalists since 2017, when KLTV’s Lane Luckie was also selected as a fellow for the RIAS Berlin Commission. He prepared Ünveren’s itinerary for his time in East Texas and accompanied him to appointments.

“I chose Texas because I saw it as a part of the world worth understanding, yet I knew little about it. My friend and fellow journalist, Lane Luckie, made my experience there unforgettable,” Ünveren said.

“This entire trip reminded me once again what our job as journalists is truly about: striving to understand what we don’t yet comprehend, without drowning in the prejudices that surround us — or those that condition us from within. If I now have a deeper understanding of the U.S., I owe that to RIAS. The best thing about RIAS is its sustainability — it grows and lives on. And I will always be a part of it.”

The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of KLTV/KTRE-TV or Gray Television. They are solely the opinion of the author. All content © Copyright 2025 Lane Luckie